Every time someone becomes Sith, they plan to destroy the Jedi by shooting or cutting them all down. Then the Jedi have no choice but to fight back. A battle will inevitably be forced, yet such an inherently aggressive and destructive activity is a slippery slope to the dark side in itself. Look at how the defeat of Sidious and Tyranus are viewed as a requirement to victory, yet both attempts are manipulated to draw Anakin to the dark side. Likewise, Obi-Wan and Yoda trained Luke to defeat the Sith, yet Palpatine manipulated Luke into engaging in battle in order to turn him.

Is there a proper approach, as a Jedi, to defeating a Sith in battle with minimal risk of falling to the dark side yourself, without sucking up the hurt and letting them wither the Jedi and the galaxy away while waiting for them to tear their own order apart first, and without appearing like some pacifist coward who always run from battle waiting for a nonviolent solution - like redemption - to present itself? Sometimes, a Jedi just got to fight, you know? How can a light-sider fight prolonged battles or even sustained periods as expected in wartime without compromising their moral position?

2 Answers
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Basing on the Jedi approaches we see in the movies, it seems the Jedi policy in dealing with dangerous enemies, like Siths, is attempting to arrest them, not necessarly engaging in a fight-till-death, but just enough to get them captured.

So it seems that Jedi are instructed to use a defensive fight style, instead of a mad rage attack, which would keep them from the anger of trying to kill someone to just engaging enough strenght in battle to imobilize the foe.

EPISODE II (Obi-Wan / Anakin vs Dooku)

Obi Wan: We move in together - you slowly on the left...Anakin: I'm taking him now!

Before Anakin's foolish attack, Obi-wan, as an experienced Jedi, intended to use an slower defensive approach, which he mantained during this battle.

The same as Yoda did when entered this same battle. He kept defensive until there was no way but to fight Dooku.

EPISODE III (Obi-Wan / Anakin vs Dooku) (again)

Palpatine: Good, Anakin, good. Kill him. Kill him now!Anakin: I shouldn't...Palpatine: Do it!!Palpatine: You did well, Anakin. He was too dangerous to be kept alive.Anakin: Yes, but he was an unarmed prisoner. It's not the Jedi way.

Anakin's and Obi-Wan's instructions were primarily to arrest Dooku as a prisioner. Although Anakin let himself be carried out by rage, he knew that a Jedi is suppose to use just enough strenght not to kill, but to capture.

EPISODE III (Jedi Council meeting)

Anakin: A partial message was intercepted in a diplomatic packet from the Chairman of Utapau.Yoda: Act on this, we must. The capture of General Grievous will end this war. Quickly and decisively we should proceed.

Again, the main Jedi policy when dealing even with the most dangerous enemies is to arrest, not kill.

EPISODE III (Mace Windu (and other Jedi) vs Palpatine)

Mace Windu: In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you are under arrest, Chancellor.Palpatine: Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?Mace Windu: The Senate will decide your fate.Palpatine: I am the Senate!Mace Windu: Not yet!

This is the one I believe best example the point. The Jedi approach was aggressive, they went for battle, with their lightsabers engaged. But not to kill, in rage, but to arrest.

Here's where I believe there's the balance:

Is there a proper approach, as a Jedi, to defeating a Sith in battle with minimal risk of falling to the dark side yourself... without appearing like some pacifist coward who always run from battle waiting for a nonviolent solution...?

Yes, a defensive fight, meant to neutralize the opponent, not kill it.

That works well enough most of the time, but what about the times when a Sith is simply too dangerous to be kept alive? Like the final scene between Mace Windu and Palpatine. Ignoring that it is a ruse by Palpatine to draw Anakin in, is there a "light" way of handling when death is a much more preferable solution, or sometimes the only option, over arrest?
– thegreatjediOct 15 '15 at 4:46

The Jedi might claim that there are no times when a Sith is really "too dangerous to be kept alive", and none where "death is a much more preferable solution."
– Matt GuttingOct 16 '15 at 16:43

Yeah, actually even when Sidious fought back, and was about to use the lightning, Master Windu said: You are under arrest, my Lord.
– LcSalazarOct 16 '15 at 17:36

In both of your examples, Palpatine is there toying with the jedi's emotions. In the Dooku vs. Anakin fight, Palpatine urges Anakin to finish off Dooku. Anakin has a history with Dooku and Palpatine is able to use that to incite hatred in Anakin. In the Luke vs. Vader fight, there are already a lot of emotions going on with the whole father and son final confrontation thing, and Palpatine is there taunting Luke, causing him to have even more.

If you look at the fight at the end of Episode I, Obi-wan is able to stay emotionless through most of the fight. When Maul kills Qui-Gon, Obi-wan has a brief flair up of anger, but is able to keep a relatively cool-head and defeat Maul with no risk of turning to the dark side.